barcode scanner

[anneoctaaf]

I need to design an application where i can work with barcode scanners. What kind of information can i put in a barcode and is it possible to get the info into a powerbuilder application?

This project needs to start yet, so i'm looking for suggestions. Is powerbuilder a good tool to write the application in?

The application will be a warehouse application where all locations will get a barcode and all products will get a barcode. The warehouse system needs to be able to show the current stock and also where (what location) the products are.

Thanx!

If there are other tools more suitable to get this done, i also would like to know...

 

[pullesj]

First, you'll need to decide what type of barcode scanner you want to use and what type of barcode - UPC, Code 39, codabar, etc. (codabar is pretty much obsolete). For normal PC applications, a barcode scanner using a keyboard interface usually works best - these type plug in-line with your keyboard and pass the scanned barcode data as if it were keyed in by hand.

Second, the length of data in the barcode itself is limited - can't remember how many characters, but it varies by the barcode type (again UPC, Code 39, etc.).

I really haven't used barcode scanners with PB but I have used them in the past on varying equipment (Mainframe dumb terminals, PC's using keyboard pass-through, propriety wireless terminals, etc). Keyboard pass-throughs require very little or no programming on the application side due to the nature of the input and the barcode scanner can be configured to add a terminating character (such as a tab) to move the cursor to the next entry field.

Symbol Technologies makes some nice barcode scanners and I'm sure their documentation can be useful (don't know Symbol's web address - Yahoo! or Google it). It's been too long since I worked with them to remember much more about them (it was the early 90's).